Great, objective review. Thanks Cooper and Alamo Music! You are my "go-to" for reviews because of your insight and objectivity...as well as the stellar play! I would easily go with the Am. Pro II in this comparison. I have a Am. Pro II Tele and that guitar is simply a dream to play. It inspires me...and there is nothing more that one can ask for from a guitar. I also have an American Special Strat (with the Texas Special pickups). It was my first "nice" guitar and I know that I should feel privileged to have a guitar like that, but I keep looking at the Am Pro II Strat just because I love my Tele so much. We shall see whether I can remain level-headed or if I succumb to GAS and just have to "upgrade."
The 70s AV2 has a much less shrill sound.. Or find ya an American Standard from right before they changed the line to the American Pro Series (2012-2016ish)..The ones w the Fat 50s pickups stock.. Those are amazing for the money.
Whats the deal with avri 2? Every one ive seen for sale online second hand isnt in the best condtion, usallly around the neck, is this just coincidence or arent they built well? A good guitar needs to be strong. It would be great if people can share thier honest opinions
Nice review. The 61 Vintage II in white or fiesta red for me... one thing to mention is the fretboard radius; I wanted the 7.25 radius, so either the 61 (rosewood and I believe slightly less hot but articulate and more mids pickups) or 57 (maple and I believe hotter 50s pickups) are what I am considering to add to my Strat collection. Still slanting toward the white 61 strat if I can find one with dark rosewood without streaks... hard to find.
I have a American original 60s and two pro 2s. I find my self gravitating toward the pro 2 . The feel and playability of the pro2 is just amazing and the pickups are great.not sure how I would get along with a 7.25 radius fret board unless it had jumbo frets
7.25 is never a problem if you have a good setup... I have a Highway one with jumbo frets and modern radius 9.25 right? and i play an older one with 7.25... The old one is set up so good that i dont feel a major difference when swtiching between the two like i feel it but not that I cant play the same stuff
There's no bloody difference mate, except the price, same pickups, same bridge saddles etc. I made mine with an ash body, wenge neck, Alcino 5's with staggered poles, Aumsen brass bridge with big block brass tremelo and brass claw, brass nut and grover tuners. With mine you really can tell the 'sound' difference, than I would say that. 😃
I found that when I had my pro tele 1, it didn't stand out at all within a band. No matter how much I adjusted my amp it was too dead. However, my other guitars don't do this at all.
I would chose the American professional 2 over the 70s one everyday. The American vintage 2 with the clay dot inlays that one is classy. I just don’t like the radius 7 1/4.
I own the Pro 2 in olympic white and it’s awesome, It’s incredibly light and comes with a great case. I love the tremolo system, no more screwing in the whammy bar, just pop it in until it clicks and then just play. I enjoy the push knob cause it kind of mimics the sound of a Tele; Which is really neat, however if I wanted a Tele sound I’d just play a Tele--that’s just me. Overall, If I had to summarize the strat, I’d say it sounds like a classic Strat with just modernized push knob and trem system.
I bought the American Pro ll HSS Strat with a maple neck in January 2022, and having heard the American Vintage ll 73 Strat I would choose the Pro ll again. I agree with you it has a nicer brighter sound, which I prefer. I also don’t like the 70’s headstock as it looks too big for me.
I have a PRS Core Custom 24 that cost 3x as much, but I choose to play my Pro II Stratocaster almost always. I've owned at least 6 different strats over the years, but the Pro II is the best electric guitar I've ever owned bar none.
The 73 was far less shrill and much more of a musical sound. I’m actually stunned how many people liked the Pro2 in the comments… I thought it sounded thin and cheap sounding.
Own an am pro II in black, with a 1-ply black guard my dream DG Fender. Modern features makes the am proII as playable as you desire….my favorite between this two excellent guitars …Cooper as always: excellent review. Thank you🎸
Ok this is a great review, and almost a perfect review for me. I’m lucky to have already a Dark Knight Pro2 with maple fb, and a Vintage 2 ‘61 in Fiesta Red with rosewood fb on order. That will replace my 1982 ‘57 AVRI which I’ve decided to retire. I also play through Blues Juniors. I’ve played many Strats of different years & can honestly say for modern players the Pro2 is outstanding. If you like the vintage vibe, which I do, check out the Vintage 2 ‘61. I’ve watched every review I could on them, & if the workmanship is the same as my Pro 2, I’ll be a happy bunny. Now all I need is to play as well as you😁
@@N2tao Nothing. It’s was and is still my favourite guitar. I’ve just worn it out 😁. I will just get it out for a special occasion. Meanwhile, since my post I’ve got my ‘61 Vintage ii and I love it equally. If you’re torn between 2, the Vintage ii ‘57 I’d say is also superb but definitely vintage feel and specs. The American Professional 2 is very modern feeling, with much hotter pickups too. More for today’s players and music. It fights you less due to the modern fretboard radius. The Vintage ii ‘57 & ‘61 have 7.25” radius and you need to get used to it if you’ve never played one before.
I love my pro 2 Strat and am trying to get into my pro 2 Tele. I too am concerned about 7.25 inch fretboard radius on these vintage 2 beauties. Will have to wait until I can find one to test down here in Sydney. Thanks for video fellas. Cheers.
I’ve got the 1973 AV II in the same finish and fretboard, and I don’t find the finish nearly as sticky as the nitro on the Fenders I’ve owned (American Originals, EJ Strats, Jimmy Page Mirror Tele neck). I don’t play it out super heavy but even playing on stage at church, the nitro finishes get pretty sticky to the point I’ve buffed the necks down to more of a satin sheen to help. However on the 1973 AV II, it’s glossy but never really gets sticky or nearly as sticky that I even notice it. It’s actually made me not really care about nitro as much and wouldn’t mind going back to poly finish guitars if more of them were like this.
Thanks so much for that review...i have the American pro ll in alder 3 colour sunburst. Wouldent change it for another...plays great.. Sounds great. It even seems to be a one piece.
hello, Thank you for this very nice presentation and confrontation. I'm always amazed by your talent as a guitarist, I love your style. would it be possible to know the setting of the amp blues junior? and do you have a tutorial, tablatures or explanations to teach me how to play like you?🙏🙏 thanking you Greg
I’ve got a 2014 60th Anniversary … alder / maple with a trans finish and lockers. Got everything the Pro has .. plus plus plus .. I’d buy 2nd hand I’m afraid
I wish fender had put as much effort in the hm strat reissue as they have these vintage reissues...they really dropped the ball with the Floyd special and the pickups, and I guess my point is, why the inconsistency? Makes me reticent to buy any retro reissues they produce. That being said, I do prefer the pro 2 much like you. The ultra would be my preference because I really like the modern aspects of it with the noiseless pups and the humbucker option as well, however for classic strat quacky sounds, pro 2 for sure.
My plan is go AM pro ii in Olympic White and just swap the Pro ii's tortoise pickguard to a mint green one to look like the Avii 61. What do ye think? I want the AM pro ii to look like the white AV ii 61 but have the nicer neck of the Am Pro ii and its better case/nicer neck/more pickup combinations etc.
The 70’s Vintera Stratocaster has a U shaped neck and is more historically accurate then the AV2. I wanted to buy the AV2, I love 70s guitars, and the new 73 pickups sound right on I love them, but 73’ was a U shaped neck, not a modern C. The Ritchie Blackmore Artist is also more historically accurate. I would go Mexico. I’ve played them all. I own two Ritchie Blackmores, the Vintera is where its at and you can get two for the price of the AV2.
The pro 2 has better clarity and note separation. Would likely stand out better in a band setting. The vintage ii has a nice sag character and is prettier sounding. Players with half the skill you have pull facing like they're in labour. Its nice to see a great player without the overly contrived facial expressions. Great review overall. I thought i was a vintage guy but this review makes me think twice.
Best channel out there for in depth guitar reviews. I just picked up an AVii 1961 in Olympic White last week with a 65 Princeton Reverb in tweed for my amp and it sounds absolutely heavenly. Really wanted the Fiesta Red, but couldn’t find it anywhere. Still sounds and looks awesome!
@jasonodell4883 dude! So good to hear from you, my friend. I hope you're well! Keep playing and hit me up if you make it back to the lake. I'd love to jam sometime.
Is the vintage ii built with better quality materials compared to the professional ii? I really like the sound of the '61, but the guitar is like $500 or so more than the pro II. I was hoping to just put the '61 pickups in a pro II, but I'm not sure if that would improve the sound, or if the vintage ii would still sound better for reasons other than just the pickups.
I don’t see why you wouldn’t get a similar sound with the added pickups on the professional ii, but with the ‘61 you have differences aside from the pickups, you have the clay dot inlays, 7.25” fretboard radius as opposed to the 9.5” on the professional ii, 21 frets whereas 22 on the professional ii, different neck finish, push push tone selector on the professional ii to add the neck pickup, etc. I’ve had both and enjoyed both, they play very well and feel really nice, but definitely have a bias towards the Fiesta Red ‘61, looks amazing. Heard a few people say it’s as close as you can get to a custom shop without it being one. Also, you can look around for a secondhand for a cheaper price or contact a specialist at Fender, Guitar Center or Sweetwater, they often give at least 10% off, I went into a Guitar Center myself and was able to order one thanks to the manager with $400 off with a Reverb price match. Hope this helps.
I've got no dog in this. I have a bunch of Strats and I like each of them for their own thing. None are dogs - now. My 'then new' '91 American Standard was average out of the gate. I still have it, but it now has triple soapbars (P90s) and they fit it as it's on the heavy side. I started playing guitar owing to Hendrix, so I have a very soft spot for the large headstock Strats that I associate with Jimi (and Trower), and I have a '74 - though heavily modded. Love that guitar. After that, it's just a bunch of Strats, all of which I love; including my really light Am Pro 2.
Both overpriced with low quality IMO. I've played a 2013 american strat exclusively for the last 9 years, that thing sounds great but has multiple problems I had to put money into fixing. These have poorer quality control, the same problems as almost a decade ago, and prices outpace inflation significantly. I love strats and teles, but from now on it just won't say fender on the headstock :P. Amazing playing though man,.
The Ame. Pro I and II’s are just great workhorse guitars, I thought Cooper’s playing was a bit more inspired by that one vs. the ‘73 in this vid. Both great though.
Well, better test before buying if you never played one Definitely not for everyone And count me in, I've bought an AVRi 59 stratocaster, and I'm having a hard time with the neck radius. It's perfectly set up like I want (I did it), it's not the playability, it's the feel Better be aware of that That is the "but" I suppose
Both sound like teles... AVII takes honours in the looks stakes, but the Am Pro II is at least as good an instrument, so kicks its butt in the bang for your buck stakes.
Thanks for the great video. I boyght an American Pro II precisely becuase of the V-mod pickups. And after thhis comparison I am even more convinced of my choice.
Great confirmation for me, I got the AmPro2 already and been thinking about the v2, but watching this, definitely not getting it. Overall, they seem like a bit of a flop.., I don’t want unnecessary querks on a REPRO guitar….., if it’s really vintage I get it, but just a copy? Not for me! Thanks Cooper!
Mine was perfectly intonated, has low action, with a uniform looking slab rosewood board and a tight neck pocket joint. Oh, the sound of the 61 AVRII is sublime too!!!!
I like the look of six screw bridge, but I am a fan of the modern specs, so if Fender could do what PRS does with a Six Screw Bridge on knife edge screws, it’d be best if vi rage and modern
@@xF1revolution I’m sure it does, I was just adding that if they wanted to modernize it add the knife edge screws like PRS, but I agree I love the 6 screw strat bridge
Mine was perfectly intonated, has low action, with a uniform looking slab rosewood board and a tight neck pocket joint. Oh, the sound of the 61 AVRII is sublime too!!!!
I disagree that Fender does "everything by the book". The pick-up selector didn't become a 5-way switch until in 1977. So "year specific" isn't true. And from my knowledge the 73 should have a U-shape neck not a C-shape? These AVII guitars should be named AV "If you want the (insert year) we got it for you BUT you have to abide some modern, anachronistic features" II. 🤣 No doubt they're great guitars all of them and thanks for a nice and thoughtful comparison 👍
You say it as if its a complete no-brainer, but it seem understandable to me. The Am Pro IIs are the flagship models, and embody the history of the strat/tele/jazzmaster as well incorporating some modern features. These modern features have to appeal to the widest audience and cannot turn its back on the traditional elements. This is why the radius is 9.5 inches and not flatter. Locking tuners are available at a lower price point on the aerodyne strat. Buy that if it is an important feature for you. Some people wouldn't want added weight on the headstock as a default for the flagship models. I'm not fully convinced about the advantage of roasting a neck with a truss rod that needs some measure of flexibility. Even the ultra and ultra luxes do not have roasted necks, so it would appear Fender are not convinced either. As for SS, once again, this would seem to be a conscious choice based on not abandoning tradition as much as price.
If you are recording and you want "that" era correct sound the AV2, but you'll struggle more to play it. The AM pro2 is a players guitar but it comes across sounding like the church band last weekend.
@ghost mall I'm seeing a trend in gospel guitar players to use cutting edge gear and the result is "perfectly anaemic" in comparison to the tones that were endemic to the classic rock era. I'm just not seeing guys turn up on the worship scene with Dad's old strat and silverface, and you can really hear that.
Agree with ghost mall. Not to be rude but that was a pretty silly comment. It’s a top of the line American-made Stratocaster and you can get a million different sounds out of it. The fact that you’ve noticed some church bands using them does not mean that these guitar’s sound like “last week’s church band” at all.
Pro2 8:54 neck 9:23 neck+middle 9:53 middle 10:17 middle+rear 10:54 rear
Av2 11:34 neck 11:56 neck+middle 12:18 middle 12:40 middle+rear 13:00 rear
Your a guitar god!
Excellent video! Answered the questions I had. Thanks for making it!
Great, objective review. Thanks Cooper and Alamo Music! You are my "go-to" for reviews because of your insight and objectivity...as well as the stellar play! I would easily go with the Am. Pro II in this comparison. I have a Am. Pro II Tele and that guitar is simply a dream to play. It inspires me...and there is nothing more that one can ask for from a guitar. I also have an American Special Strat (with the Texas Special pickups). It was my first "nice" guitar and I know that I should feel privileged to have a guitar like that, but I keep looking at the Am Pro II Strat just because I love my Tele so much. We shall see whether I can remain level-headed or if I succumb to GAS and just have to "upgrade."
The 70s AV2 has a much less shrill sound.. Or find ya an American Standard from right before they changed the line to the American Pro Series (2012-2016ish)..The ones w the Fat 50s pickups stock.. Those are amazing for the money.
Just bought my pro ii mercury strat today!
Whats the deal with avri 2? Every one ive seen for sale online second hand isnt in the best condtion, usallly around the neck, is this just coincidence or arent they built well? A good guitar needs to be strong. It would be great if people can share thier honest opinions
Nice review. The 61 Vintage II in white or fiesta red for me... one thing to mention is the fretboard radius; I wanted the 7.25 radius, so either the 61 (rosewood and I believe slightly less hot but articulate and more mids pickups) or 57 (maple and I believe hotter 50s pickups) are what I am considering to add to my Strat collection. Still slanting toward the white 61 strat if I can find one with dark rosewood without streaks... hard to find.
My Am pro II is a fine guitar...the neck is not too thin, the pickups are pretty good. I wouldnt mind playing a vintage.
You gotta do a video comparing the Am. Pro II to the Am. Pro II GT11. The specs are not the same and there are no videos out for review.
I have a American original 60s and two pro 2s. I find my self gravitating toward the pro 2 . The feel and playability of the pro2 is just amazing and the pickups are great.not sure how I would get along with a 7.25 radius fret board unless it had jumbo frets
7.25 is never a problem if you have a good setup... I have a Highway one with jumbo frets and modern radius 9.25 right? and i play an older one with 7.25... The old one is set up so good that i dont feel a major difference when swtiching between the two like i feel it but not that I cant play the same stuff
@@F-MK96 cool man and good to hear cause I just ordered the American vintage 2 61 strat .
I agree that the Vintage sounds better, but I was in high school in the '70s. Fortunately I have a couple of Strats.I could use a Telecaster...
The roasted pine ampro tele is hawt
Good to know, I thank you! Fo they have any?
Cooper said he preferred the sound emanating from the Pro 11 pickups, not the vintage.
@@scouser2230 He also said that he is waiting for the Vintage Jazz master to come out.
@@scouser2230 .plus, I think that I included to reply to another comment but screwed up
the 73 is beautifull
Cooper is one bad brother with a guitar man .
what song is that?
There's no bloody difference mate, except the price, same pickups, same bridge saddles etc. I made mine with an ash body, wenge neck, Alcino 5's with staggered poles, Aumsen brass bridge with big block brass tremelo and brass claw, brass nut and grover tuners. With mine you really can tell the 'sound' difference, than I would say that. 😃
Wow the Pro II sounds weak and thin! Surprised and disappointed a.s I really love the look of pine.
I recently got the Vintage II ‘61 Stratocaster and I love it. It feels like my first good guitar, a ‘62 Stratocaster I bought new in 1962.
Congrats!!!. Play the hell out of it
Damn!!! So it's thats close to the original? If so, then damn thats awesome!!
@@josephvega3763 It is as close in feel to the original as I think they can get. I love mine.
@@ericoswood1856 that's awesome
It's comments like these that will put me into debt!
I liked the Pro 2 more than the AV2. It sounded fuller and more clear to me. I’d love to see this same comparison with telecasters.
I found that when I had my pro tele 1, it didn't stand out at all within a band. No matter how much I adjusted my amp it was too dead. However, my other guitars don't do this at all.
Agree
The pro 2 def seems thinner and brighter
Fun drinking game.. every time he says 'American' take a shot. Try not to die.
I would chose the American professional 2 over the 70s one everyday.
The American vintage 2 with the clay dot inlays that one is classy. I just don’t like the radius 7 1/4.
I own the Pro 2 in olympic white and it’s awesome, It’s incredibly light and comes with a great case. I love the tremolo system, no more screwing in the whammy bar, just pop it in until it clicks and then just play. I enjoy the push knob cause it kind of mimics the sound of a Tele; Which is really neat, however if I wanted a Tele sound I’d just play a Tele--that’s just me. Overall, If I had to summarize the strat, I’d say it sounds like a classic Strat with just modernized push knob and trem system.
Pro II has a thin sound which I don't like. So I would go for the vintage out of the two guitars. I wish you mentioned what ratio the necks have.
I bought the American Pro ll HSS Strat with a maple neck in January 2022, and having heard the American Vintage ll 73 Strat I would choose the Pro ll again. I agree with you it has a nicer brighter sound, which I prefer. I also don’t like the 70’s headstock as it looks too big for me.
73 for me, just way cooler and I love the true vintage sound of the pickups, there was some awesome music made on guitars like that back in the day.
Love The Big Headstock.
I loved the tone of the Vintage 73.
❤️❤️🎸🎸
I have a PRS Core Custom 24 that cost 3x as much, but I choose to play my Pro II Stratocaster almost always. I've owned at least 6 different strats over the years, but the Pro II is the best electric guitar I've ever owned bar none.
The 73 was far less shrill and much more of a musical sound. I’m actually stunned how many people liked the Pro2 in the comments… I thought it sounded thin and cheap sounding.
I thought the Am Pro 2 sounded best, also like the deep C neck.
Not a big difference in sound for 💰 I listened to the video and I didn't watch it. Pro II for me.
Own an am pro II in black, with a 1-ply black guard my dream DG Fender. Modern features makes the
am proII as playable as you desire….my favorite between this two excellent guitars …Cooper as always: excellent review. Thank you🎸
I have a pro II tele and it's amazing. The vintage sounded good here but I preferred the Pro II
I absolutely love my Pro II Strat. I’m eyeing upgrades on all my other guitars. Not the Strat, it feels perfect to me.
Am pros are the best value for dollar right now. I own 3. If you shop around you can pick them up brand new for 12 to 1300.
Ok this is a great review, and almost a perfect review for me. I’m lucky to have already a Dark Knight Pro2 with maple fb, and a Vintage 2 ‘61 in Fiesta Red with rosewood fb on order. That will replace my 1982 ‘57 AVRI which I’ve decided to retire. I also play through Blues Juniors. I’ve played many Strats of different years & can honestly say for modern players the Pro2 is outstanding. If you like the vintage vibe, which I do, check out the Vintage 2 ‘61. I’ve watched every review I could on them, & if the workmanship is the same as my Pro 2, I’ll be a happy bunny. Now all I need is to play as well as you😁
May I ask what you didn't like about the '57 RI so that you chose to retire it?
Right now, I am truly torn between the '57 AVRI and the AmPro ii.
@@N2tao Nothing. It’s was and is still my favourite guitar. I’ve just worn it out 😁. I will just get it out for a special occasion. Meanwhile, since my post I’ve got my ‘61 Vintage ii and I love it equally. If you’re torn between 2, the Vintage ii ‘57 I’d say is also superb but definitely vintage feel and specs. The American Professional 2 is very modern feeling, with much hotter pickups too. More for today’s players and music. It fights you less due to the modern fretboard radius. The Vintage ii ‘57 & ‘61 have 7.25” radius and you need to get used to it if you’ve never played one before.
I love my pro 2 Strat and am trying to get into my pro 2 Tele. I too am concerned about 7.25 inch fretboard radius on these vintage 2 beauties. Will have to wait until I can find one to test down here in Sydney. Thanks for video fellas. Cheers.
I’ve got the 1973 AV II in the same finish and fretboard, and I don’t find the finish nearly as sticky as the nitro on the Fenders I’ve owned (American Originals, EJ Strats, Jimmy Page Mirror Tele neck).
I don’t play it out super heavy but even playing on stage at church, the nitro finishes get pretty sticky to the point I’ve buffed the necks down to more of a satin sheen to help. However on the 1973 AV II, it’s glossy but never really gets sticky or nearly as sticky that I even notice it.
It’s actually made me not really care about nitro as much and wouldn’t mind going back to poly finish guitars if more of them were like this.
More quack on the Pro ii
Roasted pine bodies can be so nice and light, while being brilliant in resonance.
I had a 1974 Strat with an ash body. It was the heaviest guitar I ever owned.
Thanks so much for that review...i have the American pro ll in alder 3 colour sunburst. Wouldent change it for another...plays great.. Sounds great. It even seems to be a one piece.
hello,
Thank you for this very nice presentation and confrontation. I'm always amazed by your talent as a guitarist, I love your style. would it be possible to know the setting of the amp blues junior? and do you have a tutorial, tablatures or explanations to teach me how to play like you?🙏🙏
thanking you
Greg
I love the 61, it is the one for me!
I’ve got a 2014 60th Anniversary … alder / maple with a trans finish and lockers. Got everything the Pro has .. plus plus plus .. I’d buy 2nd hand I’m afraid
Excellent work Copper. Thanks
I wish fender had put as much effort in the hm strat reissue as they have these vintage reissues...they really dropped the ball with the Floyd special and the pickups, and I guess my point is, why the inconsistency? Makes me reticent to buy any retro reissues they produce. That being said, I do prefer the pro 2 much like you. The ultra would be my preference because I really like the modern aspects of it with the noiseless pups and the humbucker option as well, however for classic strat quacky sounds, pro 2 for sure.
I wish there was a comparison out there like this of the precision bass American pro II vs American vintage II
that rosted pine looks so pretty
Pro II neck profile all day long!
My plan is go AM pro ii in Olympic White and just swap the Pro ii's tortoise pickguard to a mint green one to look like the Avii 61. What do ye think?
I want the AM pro ii to look like the white AV ii 61 but have the nicer neck of the Am Pro ii and its better case/nicer neck/more pickup combinations etc.
The 70’s Vintera Stratocaster has a U shaped neck and is more historically accurate then the AV2. I wanted to buy the AV2, I love 70s guitars, and the new 73 pickups sound right on I love them, but 73’ was a U shaped neck, not a modern C. The Ritchie Blackmore Artist is also more historically accurate. I would go Mexico. I’ve played them all. I own two Ritchie Blackmores, the Vintera is where its at and you can get two for the price of the AV2.
The pro 2 has better clarity and note separation. Would likely stand out better in a band setting. The vintage ii has a nice sag character and is prettier sounding. Players with half the skill you have pull facing like they're in labour. Its nice to see a great player without the overly contrived facial expressions. Great review overall. I thought i was a vintage guy but this review makes me think twice.
Concerning the Pro2, what difference do you hear between the pine body and the alder body? And I like to keep thing really clean.
Best channel out there for in depth guitar reviews. I just picked up an AVii 1961 in Olympic White last week with a 65 Princeton Reverb in tweed for my amp and it sounds absolutely heavenly. Really wanted the Fiesta Red, but couldn’t find it anywhere. Still sounds and looks awesome!
The American vintage are super cool until you play them or need to adjust the truss. Wasn't impressed at all. Pro II all day
CASEY WILSON!!!! WHATS UP BROTHER??? So cool to see you on here dude. Hope all is well. I'm leaning towards the pro ii now.
@jasonodell4883 dude! So good to hear from you, my friend. I hope you're well! Keep playing and hit me up if you make it back to the lake. I'd love to jam sometime.
A 50 dollar guitar would sound awesome in your hands dude, you truly are one of the very best guitarists on any channel on UA-cam !!!! 😻🎸👌🔥🔥🔥
What a fantastic video
Pro 2 for me but I like my 94 strat ive have have for a long time now. But I due like the pro 2 the best thanks for the post,
Which guitar has a better tuning stability after being used with the whammy/vibrato bar?
Love my AV2 51 Tele
The solo neck pup on the Pro ll sounds wonderful. Sadly, the other positions do not.
God damn he can play 🙌🏼
Is the vintage ii built with better quality materials compared to the professional ii? I really like the sound of the '61, but the guitar is like $500 or so more than the pro II. I was hoping to just put the '61 pickups in a pro II, but I'm not sure if that would improve the sound, or if the vintage ii would still sound better for reasons other than just the pickups.
I don’t see why you wouldn’t get a similar sound with the added pickups on the professional ii, but with the ‘61 you have differences aside from the pickups, you have the clay dot inlays, 7.25” fretboard radius as opposed to the 9.5” on the professional ii, 21 frets whereas 22 on the professional ii, different neck finish, push push tone selector on the professional ii to add the neck pickup, etc. I’ve had both and enjoyed both, they play very well and feel really nice, but definitely have a bias towards the Fiesta Red ‘61, looks amazing. Heard a few people say it’s as close as you can get to a custom shop without it being one. Also, you can look around for a secondhand for a cheaper price or contact a specialist at Fender, Guitar Center or Sweetwater, they often give at least 10% off, I went into a Guitar Center myself and was able to order one thanks to the manager with $400 off with a Reverb price match. Hope this helps.
I've got no dog in this. I have a bunch of Strats and I like each of them for their own thing. None are dogs - now. My 'then new' '91 American Standard was average out of the gate. I still have it, but it now has triple soapbars (P90s) and they fit it as it's on the heavy side.
I started playing guitar owing to Hendrix, so I have a very soft spot for the large headstock Strats that I associate with Jimi (and Trower), and I have a '74 - though heavily modded. Love that guitar.
After that, it's just a bunch of Strats, all of which I love; including my really light Am Pro 2.
always enjoy listening to ‘the coop,’ such a long lustrous mane.
sticky... use corn starch or sentless baby powder.
Both overpriced with low quality IMO. I've played a 2013 american strat exclusively for the last 9 years, that thing sounds great but has multiple problems I had to put money into fixing. These have poorer quality control, the same problems as almost a decade ago, and prices outpace inflation significantly. I love strats and teles, but from now on it just won't say fender on the headstock :P. Amazing playing though man,.
The AV2s already have a reputation for dodgy QC.
Always check them out thoroughly.
Thanks great review..the vintage def had a warmer sound and the pro was sharp and cutting. I imagine the vintage is a heaver guitar too.
Digging the thin Lizzy jam Cooper. Awesome playing man and the guitars look beautiful
Fenders quality control has dropped drastically.
These videos do a great job with the strategy behind the purchase. I don’t know any other channel that does this. Nice demos as well.
Thank you-my ears liked the sharpness of the pro II, and appreciated the vintage II too.
IMOP Pro II wins bigly
Dat playing was fire 😮
The Ame. Pro I and II’s are just great workhorse guitars, I thought Cooper’s playing was a bit more inspired by that one vs. the ‘73 in this vid. Both great though.
I bought that same pro ii at alamo :)
VERY COOL 😎
Great playing. Yes the pro 2 sounds better to me.
The American Vintage II Strats have a 71/4” radius fret board. Which is period correct but…
but?
Well, better test before buying if you never played one
Definitely not for everyone
And count me in, I've bought an AVRi 59 stratocaster, and I'm having a hard time with the neck radius. It's perfectly set up like I want (I did it), it's not the playability, it's the feel
Better be aware of that
That is the "but" I suppose
super nice grain for pine
Are you playing 9s or 10s? I have 9s on my Am Pro 2 now and bought some 10s today to try for a bit of a fuller sound.
And conclusion, better?
@@TwylighttI got rid of the Am Pro II and now have the Clapton Artist series. 10s sound grrrreat!
they're strats just like the 50000000 that came before them
Just make the damned American Standard again.
They did. It’s called the Pro ll
I agree with keeping it standard. I have the pro ll, only because there is no more standard.
Both sound like teles...
AVII takes honours in the looks stakes, but the Am Pro II is at least as good an instrument, so kicks its butt in the bang for your buck stakes.
They sound nothing like Tellys
Teles, strats. That's what you get for commenting late at night. Hopefully most people know what I meant...
@@rexrathtar3893 well not me because they really do not sound the same IRL
Thanks for the great video. I boyght an American Pro II precisely becuase of the V-mod pickups. And after thhis comparison I am even more convinced of my choice.
Great confirmation for me, I got the AmPro2 already and been thinking about the v2, but watching this, definitely not getting it. Overall, they seem like a bit of a flop.., I don’t want unnecessary querks on a REPRO guitar….., if it’s really vintage I get it, but just a copy? Not for me! Thanks Cooper!
The American vintage ii would be pretty great if it wasn’t for the apparently terrible QC issues. Not usual for Fender and I hope they’ll fix it.
Where did you hear they have terrible QC issues?
@@therainman7777 Multiple UA-cam videos and reddit. But as one example you can check out Togly's review of the '75 telecaster.
@@A_Noid Will do, thank you
Mine was perfectly intonated, has low action, with a uniform looking slab rosewood board and a tight neck pocket joint. Oh, the sound of the 61 AVRII is sublime too!!!!
@@A_Noid thats a 1975 strat that has absolutely nothing to do with these reissues, lol
I have the professional II and it’s great I changed the pick ups for mojo tone and it’s a monster
U know witch pickups could work to make the sound of a pro II like the vintage 61 ?
What pickups did you put in?
I put the Mojo Tone 58 quiet coil
I like the look of six screw bridge, but I am a fan of the modern specs, so if Fender could do what PRS does with a Six Screw Bridge on knife edge screws, it’d be best if vi rage and modern
The original 6 screw design works perfectly fine.
@@xF1revolution I’m sure it does, I was just adding that if they wanted to modernize it add the knife edge screws like PRS, but I agree I love the 6 screw strat bridge
V2 sounds compressed. In one sense it has more character, but I still prefer the Pro.
I must say....this sounds so thin that I wouldn't want this for free!
The QC issues on the AVII are completely unacceptable. It seems the jazzmaster are the worse.
wdym, when i got mine it was great no issues
Mine was perfectly intonated, has low action, with a uniform looking slab rosewood board and a tight neck pocket joint. Oh, the sound of the 61 AVRII is sublime too!!!!
This comment seems a bit trollesque
I disagree that Fender does "everything by the book". The pick-up selector didn't become a 5-way switch until in 1977. So "year specific" isn't true. And from my knowledge the 73 should have a U-shape neck not a C-shape?
These AVII guitars should be named AV "If you want the (insert year) we got it for you BUT you have to abide some modern, anachronistic features" II. 🤣
No doubt they're great guitars all of them and thanks for a nice and thoughtful comparison 👍
Hard to believe that Fender doesn't put locking tuners, stainless frets, and a roasted neck on the Pro II at that price point.
You say it as if its a complete no-brainer, but it seem understandable to me. The Am Pro IIs are the flagship models, and embody the history of the strat/tele/jazzmaster as well incorporating some modern features. These modern features have to appeal to the widest audience and cannot turn its back on the traditional elements. This is why the radius is 9.5 inches and not flatter. Locking tuners are available at a lower price point on the aerodyne strat. Buy that if it is an important feature for you. Some people wouldn't want added weight on the headstock as a default for the flagship models. I'm not fully convinced about the advantage of roasting a neck with a truss rod that needs some measure of flexibility. Even the ultra and ultra luxes do not have roasted necks, so it would appear Fender are not convinced either. As for SS, once again, this would seem to be a conscious choice based on not abandoning tradition as much as price.
I literally hate all three features you just mentioned.
Six screw bridges are garbage compared to two-point bridges, but ppl want to pay for vintage style I guess
hence the name American Vintage, I guess... ;)
of course american vintage 73 is superior than the american pro ,but i prefer it with 57 vintage pickups...and maple fretboard
He seems to be very short tempered. I would not want to make him angry.
If you are recording and you want "that" era correct sound the AV2, but you'll struggle more to play it. The AM pro2 is a players guitar but it comes across sounding like the church band last weekend.
@ghost mall I'm seeing a trend in gospel guitar players to use cutting edge gear and the result is "perfectly anaemic" in comparison to the tones that were endemic to the classic rock era. I'm just not seeing guys turn up on the worship scene with Dad's old strat and silverface, and you can really hear that.
Agree with ghost mall. Not to be rude but that was a pretty silly comment. It’s a top of the line American-made Stratocaster and you can get a million different sounds out of it. The fact that you’ve noticed some church bands using them does not mean that these guitar’s sound like “last week’s church band” at all.
Jesus has a Pro ii AND a vintage. What's the point?
i think it comes down to feel. pickups can always be switched out or tone tweaked in other ways. Mostly in the neck feel and poly vs nitro. hmmmm